In a communications network, network elements such as switches and routers route data from traffic flows to their destinations. Cell-based network elements transmit data internally using fixed-length cells. Alternatively, traffic flows routed through the network element may comprise variable-length frames. In processing frames from a frame-based traffic flow routed through a cell-based network element, the frames are segmented into cells for switching or routing through the network element. The cells are then reassembled, after internal switching or routing, into the frames transmitted from the network element. As network elements are required to route data from an increasing number of traffic flows, the hardware resources required to segment and assemble frames from frame-based traffic flows increases.
There is a need for a system and method for assembling packets in a network element that minimizes the hardware resources required to segment and assemble frames from frame-based traffic flows.